Liquid separator and purification system

ABSTRACT

A liquid purification and separator system is adapted to be floated upon a body of water and to be moved from location to location and has a liquid collection section for collecting water connected by a water line to a floating purification unit. The floating purification unit includes at least one aeration tower having a dispersing nozzle for spraying the collected liquids in a fine spray onto the tower. The liquids collect on the towers and trickle down to moving filter belts which allows the water to pass through and back into the body of water. This process enables the system to collect solid particles such as hydrocarbons, oil, coal, mined minerals and particles from sewer plants and industrial plants. The rotating belts are cleaned at one end to remove the collected pollutants into a collection container. The system also acts to cool the water as it passes through the aerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a liquid purification system andespecially to a floating system adapted to aerate, cool and clean waterin a large body of water.

In the past, a large variety of liquid purification systems have beenprovided for treating all types of liquids and especially for treatingpolluted water. In addition, various types of liquid cooling towers havebeen provided for heat exchangers for cooling of liquid which has beenheated in industrial processes or in air conditioning equipment.Finally, there have been a large number of systems directed for removingoil, or other hydrocarbons, spilled on bodies of waters; and thesefrequently include skimmer type boats which skim the top of the water toremove floating oil which is then collected and removed to a storagetank. Another type of prior art skimmer utilizes a moving web movingthrough the surface of the water which captures oil but will allow thewater to fall off. The oil is then squeegeed in some manner from themoving web.

The present invention is directed to a liquid purification system whichis adapted to be floated from location to location for cleaning largevolumes of liquid in a body of water, including aerating the liquidwhile acting as a trickle filter and as a filter for collecting fineparticles and solid pollutants, along with hydrocarbons such as oil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A liquid purification system is provided having a liquid collection unitfor collecting liquid for purification. A liquid line feeds thecollected liquid from the liquid collecting unit to a floatingpurification unit. A floating purification unit may be floated onpontoons or other flotation material on a body of water and is connectedto the liquid line for receiving liquid from the liquid collection unit.The liquid is forced into a dispersion nozzle for dispersing into a finespray onto one or more stepped towers, where it is allowed to trickle tothe bottom of the tower onto a movable filter belt located below thetowers for collecting the liquid therefrom to remove solid andhydrocarbon pollutants from the water. Means are provided for removingthe hydrocarbons and solid pollutants from the filter belt into acollection container where it can be removed to shore. The liquidcollection unit may have a screen filter for filtering large solidmaterial from the filter system and may be adapted to float on thesurface or below the surface at adjustable depths as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the written description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the overall system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the floating purification unit inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective of the liquid dispersant nozzle used inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top elevation of a floating skimmer unit in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the skimmer unit of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, an overall liquid purificationsystem 10 is illustrated having a liquid collection unit 11 connected bya liquid line 12 to a floating purification unit 13. The entire systemfloats on a body of water 14 which might be a lake, an industrialsettling pond, or a cooling pond for a power plant, or the like. Theliquid collection unit 11 has a flotation sphere 15 having an annularharness supporting a plurality of support lines 17 connected to a topclamping unit 18. The clamping unit provides an aperture 20 and aclamping bolt 21 having a small handle thereon for clamping the line 17through the opening 20. The bottom of the sphere has an anchor bracket22 having an anchor line 23 connected thereto and to an anchor 24 forholding the flotation sphere 15 in position on the body of water 14. Thelines 17 pass through a plurality of apertures 25 in the line supportingharness and are connected to the collection unit screening box 26. Thedepth of the box 26 below the surface of the water is determined by thelength the lines 17 are pulled through the opening 18 and clamped with aclamping bolt. A collection box 26 has large screened wire sides 27attached to a square framework 28 with an inverted pyramid shapedcollection unit 30 on the bottom of the box 26. A finer screen may beprovided between the box 26 and the collection pyramid 30 for collectingdebris.

It should be understood at this point that this is only one liquidcollection unit of a series of different types for collecting liquidfrom different positions. A surface skimming unit is illustrated inconnection with FIGS. 4 and 5 and it should be clear that the unit inFIG. 1 can also be adapted to sit on the bottom of a lake, pond, or thelike, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The liquid pipe 12 had flexible connectors 31 connected to a more rigid,but still flexible, pipe 32 which may be inexpensive polyvinyl chloride(PVC) pipe, or the like. The pipe 12 may be supported with auxiliarylines 33 connected to one or more auxiliary flotation spheres 34 havinga bracket 35 for holding the line 33. The line 12 is connected to thefloating liquid purification unit 13 rigid pipe 36 which connects into ahousing 37, housing a small internal combustion engine driving a waterpump drawing the water from the collection unit 11 through the pipe 12to the floating purification unit 13. The engine is also used to rotatea power webbing or belt, as will be more fully described hereinafter inconnection with FIG. 2. The liquid purification unit 13 has a pluralityof pontoon type floats 38 supporting a framework 40 having an enclosedaeration and cooling tower 41 mounted on the top thereof and afiltration system in a casing 42. The system allows liquid to be pickedup from different depths and different locations in a body of water andpumped to the purification system where the liquid is purified and fedback into the body of water. The unit advantageously can be moved fromlocation to location to purify different portions of a pond, or thelike.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of afloating purification unit 43 is shown having a base or platform 44supported by a plurality of flotation pontoons 45. The base 44 has aframework 46 mounted thereto which in turn supports a plurality ofcooling aeration and purification towers 47. Each tower 47 is steppedwith a plurality of steps which may have a grooved smaller steppedsurface 50. Liquid is received from the liquid line 12 into the engineand pump housing 51 where it is pumped through a liquid line 52 beloweach of the towers 47 and into individual tower lines 53 and out theapex of each tower. The water is directed into a liquid dispersionnozzle 54 which disperses the liquid into a much finer spray foraerating and cooling the liquid which is then collected on the surfaceof each of the towers 47 and allowed to trickle down the roughenedsurfaces 50 over the larger steps 48. The dispersion, as well as thetrickling, produces an aeration, cooling and a trickle filtration of theliquid. The nozzle 54 has a cup shaped member 55 which is identical tothe nozzle in FIG. 3, except for the absence of the inverted pyramid 56in FIG. 3. The cup member 55 has an adjustment rod 57 attached theretoand slides in a sleeve 58 mounted to a support bracket 60 supported on asupport framework member 61. The rod 57 has a plurality of bores 62passing therethrough so that a pin 63 can be slid through the bracket 58through one of the openings 62 to position the dispersion nozzle 54 andcup 55 in different positions. The liquid trickling down the towers 47falls on a filtered web or belt 64 which may be a seven strain belt madeof any material desired which will catch and hold fine solid pollutantsand capture hydrocarbons, such as oil, in the mesh of the belt. The beltis supported by an idler roller 64 on one end and a driving roller 66 onthe other end, and may have idler rollers mounted therebetween ifdesired for additional support. The driver roller 66 is driven by belt67 connected to a pulley on the engine in the engine housing 51. Theidler roller 65 is mounted to a roller support bracket and journal 68while the roller 66 is mounted to an L-shaped bracket and journal 70mounted to the base 44. As the belt 64 rotates, it engages a beltcleaning element 71 at one end mounted to a bracket and journal 72attached to the base 44, which has a cylindrical, rotatable brushingmember for brushing the belts 64 to remove pollutants as well as tocapture hydrocarbons and oily substances thereon. A squeegee blade 73 ismounted to a collection container 74 which in turn is connected to thebase 44 and squeezes against the brush 71 to remove hydrocarbons or oilysubstances from the brush. In addition, the belt is further cleaned bythe use of pipes 75 having a plurality of nozzles directed against oneside of the belt. Pipe 75 is connected through a support pipe 76 mountedwith a flange 77 to the base 44 and through a pipe 78 to the pump in thehousing 51. The water falling from the towers 47 passes through thebelts 64 and back into the body of water either through openings in thebase 44 or off the edges of the base 44. Water is also squeegeed out bythe idle roller 65 as it passes by the roller 65. Collected pollutionmaterial from belt 64 form sludge in the container 74 and may be pumpedashore through a line 75 for disposal.

Turning to FIG. 3, an alternate embodiment of the dispersion nozzle 76is shown having an inverted cup dispersion surface 77 having a rod 78attached thereto having a plurality of openings 80 therein and aninverted cone 56 mounted inside the cup 55 for dispersing the liquidbeing driven thereagainst from the outlets 81 of the pipes 53 of FIG. 2.

Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, an alternate embodiment of a liquid collectionunit 82 is shown having a U-shaped flotation body 83 connected withlines 84 to eyelets on the body 83. Additional lines 79 are connected toangled booms 89 so that the booms 89 and body 83 can be pulled throughthe water with the lines 84 and 79. The flotation portion 83 has ascreened filter for collecting large solid particles mounted over theinverted pyramid or funnel-shaped collection portion 87 which isattached to the bottom of the U-shaped flotation unit 83. The funnelcollecting unit 87 is connected to a flexible connector pipe 88 and to aliquid feeding line 90 which is then fed to the liquid purification unit43 of FIG. 2.

It should be clear that this collection unit can be used simultaneouslywith the one shown in FIG. 1 for collecting liquids below, as well asalong the surface of a body of water. In addition, this unit can bepulled by the lines 84 for movement along the surface and can havepontoon floats attached to the outlets 85 to block off an area along thesurface of the body of water for directing liquid into the flotationcollection unit 82.

It should be clear at this time that a liquid purification system hasbeen provided which collects liquid to be purified from below thesurface as well as along the surface of a body of water; and whichaerates the liquid, cools the liquid and treats it with a trickle filteras well as removes fine solids and hydrocarbons therefrom. It shouldalso be clear that the unit is specifically adapted to be moved fromlocation to location around the body of water. The invention, however,is not to be construed as limited to the forms shown, which are to beconsidered illustrative rather than restrictive.

I claim:
 1. A liquid purification system comprising incombination:liquid collection means for collecting liquid forpurification; a liquid line for feeding collected liquid from saidliquid collection means; floating purification means floating on a bodyof water and connected to said liquid line and having aeration towermeans for receiving liquid from said liquid collection means dischargedthereon, said floating purification means having a movable filter meanslocated below said aeration tower means for collecting liquid therefromto remove pollutants from said liquid falling thereon and means toremove collected pollutants from said movable filter means, saidfloating purification means also including liquid dispersion nozzlesmounted over said aeration tower means for dispersing liquid dischargedthereinto, which liquids are collected for trickling down said aerationtower, whereby liquid to be purified can be collected remotely from thepurifcation unit, aerated, filtered and oily substances removed from theliquid.
 2. A liquid purification system in accordance with claim 1, inwhich said floating purification means includes a water line connectedthrough each said aeration tower means to said dispersion nozzle fordirecting liquid against said dispersion nozzle.
 3. A liquidpurification system in accordance with claim 2, in which said dispersionnozzle has a concave surface positioned directly over the output of saidwater line passing through said aeration tower means.
 4. A liquidpurification system in accordance with claim 3, in which said liquiddispersion nozzle is mounted to a bracket with a rod riding in a sleeveand having a plurality of openings in said rod for receiving a pin foradjusting the position of said rod in said sleeve.
 5. A liquidpurification system in accordance with claim 4, in which said concavedispersion surface has a cone surface mounted in the center thereof. 6.A liquid purification system in accordance with claim 1, in which saidmovable filter means includes an endless belt filter supported by atleast two belt rollers for continuously moving said belt under saidaeration tower means.
 7. A liquid purification system in accordance withclaim 6, in which said belt engages a rotating cleaning brush along oneportion thereof for removing material from said endless belt into acollection container.
 8. A liquid purification system in accordance withclaim 7, in which a squeegee bar is mounted adjacent said brush forremoving collected material from said brush and endless belt.
 9. Aliquid purification system in accordance with claim 8, in which aplurality of nozzles are mounted between two sides of said endless beltfor directing a jet of water against the back side of said endless beltfor cleaning said belt.
 10. A liquid purification system in accordancewith claim 9, in which an internal combustion engine and pump aremounted on said floating purification means, and in which said engineoperates the pump and is connected to drive said endless belt roller.11. A liquid purification system in accordance with claim 10, in whichaeration tower means has at least one tower having a plurality of stepsformed therein.
 12. A liquid purification system in accordance withclaim 11, in which each said aeration tower has a plurality of smallersteps on each of said stepped levels thereof to form a stepped tricklingpathway for liquid flowing thereover.
 13. A liquid purification systemin accordance with claim 12, in which said floating purification meansis a floating barge floating on a plurality of pontoons.
 14. A liquidpurification system in accordance with claim 1, in which said liquidcollection means includes a floating sphere having lines connectedthereto and to a screened collection unit for collecting liquid beneaththe surface of a body of water.
 15. A liquid purification system inaccordance with claim 14, in which said plurality of lines are connectedthrough a harness mounted to said floating sphere and connected to abracket positioned on the top of said sphere.
 16. A liquid purificationsystem in accordance with claim 15, in which said bracket has anaperture therethrough for sliding said lines through and a threadedcompression lock for locking said lines in any designed position.
 17. Aliquid purification system in accordance with claim 16, in which saidharness attached to said spherical float is attached around thecircumference thereof and has a plurality of apertures therein for thepassing of lines.
 18. A liquid purification system in accordance withclaim 17, in which said floating sphere has a bracket on the bottomthereof for attaching an anchorline.
 19. A liquid purification system inaccordance with claim 1, in which said liquid collection means includesa generally U-shaped flotation member having a screened bottom coveringa collection container feeding into said liquid line.
 20. A liquidpurification system in accordance with claim 19, in which said liquidcollection means flotation member has a funnel shaped liquid collectingportion connected to a flexible connector on the end of said liquidline.
 21. A liquid purification system in accordance with claim 1, inwhich said aeration tower means is a plurality of individual towers.